Define Fields

Each field in a meta box is an array of its own attributes.

Common field attributes

Each field of a meta box can have the following attributes:

Attribute	Description
`name`	Name of the custom field. It’ll be displayed in the meta box. Required.
`id`	ID of the field. Required. Must be unique. It will be used as `meta_key`. It’s a good practice to use only numbers, letters, and underscores.
`type`	Field type. See the list below for all supported field types. Required.
`desc`	a short description explaining what it is. Optional.
`std`	Default value of the custom field. Optional.
`multiple`	Does the field have multiple values (like the `select` field)? Optional. Default `false`.
`class`	Custom CSS class, in case you want to style the field the way you want. Optional.
`before`	Custom HTML outputted before field’s HTML
`after`	Custom HTML outputted after field’s HTML
`clone`	Is the field clonable? `true` or `false`. Optional. Since 4.8.3 it works for all field types, including file, image and wysiwyg.
`max_clone`	Maximum number of clones. Default 0 (unlimited).
`sort_clone`	Ability to drag-and-drop reorder clones (`true` or `false`). Optional. Default `false`.
`attributes`	Custom attributes for inputs. See more details here.

List of supported field type

This is the list of all supported field types in the Meta Box plugin with brief description:

Field Type	Description
`autocomplete`	Text input that uses jQuery autocomplete library to perform the autocomplete action. Added in version 4.4.0.
`button`	Display simple button. Usually used for Javascript trigger
`checkbox`	Checkbox
`checkbox_list`	List of checkboxes
`color`	Color picker
`custom_html`	Output custom HTML content
`date`	Date picker
`datetime`	Date and time picker
`divider`	Simple horizontal line
`email`	Email input using HTML 5 input with `type="email"`
`fieldset_text`	Group of text inputs
`file`	Simple file upload with default UI like `<input type="file" />`.
`file_input`	Allow to enter URL for a file or select a file from media library (UI like WordPress media upload popup). This field saves file URL as meta value.
`file_upload`	File upload field, support drag and drop files. Inherits from `media`.
`heading`	Heading text
`hidden`	Input field with `hidden` type
`image`	Similar to `file` but used for images only. Allow drag and drop to reorder images. Inherits `file`.
`image_advanced`	Similar to `file_advanced`, but used for images only. Inherits `media`.
`image_select`	Similar to radio select, but use images instead of “radio”
`image_upload` or `plupload_image`	Image upload field, support drag and drop files. Inherits `image_advanced`.
`key_value`	Add an unlimited group of key-value pairs inputs
`map`	Google maps field
`media` or `file_advanced`	Advanced file upload with UI like WordPress media upload popup. Inherits `file`.
`number`	Input for numbers which uses new HTML5 input `type="number"`
`oembed`	Input for videos, audios from Youtube, Vimeo and all supported sites by WordPress. It has a preview feature.
`password`	Password input field
`post`	Select post from select dropdown. Support custom post types. Inherits options from `select` or `select_advanced` based on `field_type` parameter
`radio`	Radio input
`range`	HTML 5 range input
`select`	Select dropdown
`select_advanced`	Beautiful select dropdown using `select2` library. Inherits `select`
`slider`	jQuery UI slider field
`taxonomy`	Select taxonomies. Has various options to display as check box list, select dropdown (supports simple select and `select_advanced` UI), tree (select parent taxonomy will show children taxonomies). Note: this field doesn’t save term IDs in post meta, instead of that, it only set post terms.
`taxonomy_advanced`	Same as `taxonomy` but saves term IDs in post meta as a comma separated string. It doesn’t set post terms.
`text`	Text field
`text_list`	Group of text inputs. Similar to `fieldset_text`.
`textarea`	Textarea field
`thickbox_image`	Old image upload using Thickbox. Deprecated.
`time`	Time picker
`url`	HTML 5 URL input
`user`	Select dropdown for user, supports simple select and `select_advanced` UI
`video`	Upload or select a video from the Media Library using the WordPress media popup. Supports video preview and multiple uploads.
`wysiwyg`	WordPress editor field

Attributes for specific field types

Besides all common attributes, each field type can have other attributes. This section will describe all attributes for specific field types.

Important: The inherited fields can have attributes from their parents.

We already prepared snippets for all field types. You can save time by just copy-and-paste from this link.

Autocomplete

Attribute	Description
`options`	array of predefined `'value' => 'Label'` pairs. They’re used to autocomplete from user input. `value` is stored in the custom field. Required.
`size`	input size. Default `30`. Optional.
`clone`	allow this field to be cloned? `true` or `false`. Default `false`. Optional.

Note: this field can store multiple values from user inputs

Checkbox list

Attribute	Description
`options`	array of `'value' => 'Label'` pairs. `value` is stored in the custom field and `Label` is used to display in the meta box.

Custom HTML

Attribute	Description
`std`	The custom HTML content which is displayed. Optional.
`callback`	The PHP callback function that shows the content (if `std` is not used). Optinal. Using PHP callback allows you to access to WordPress’s data such as current post, post content, current user, etc.

Date

Attribute	Description
`size`	size of the input box. Optional. Default 10.
`inline`	display the date picker inline with the input, `true` or `false`? Optional. Default `false`.
`js_options`	jQuery date picker options. See here, some main options are:
	`dateFormat`: Date format. Optional. Default `yy-mm-dd`. For the full list of date format, please see here. Note: The `format` option is deprecated and replaced by this option.
	`showButtonPanel` \| Show button panel or not? Optional. Default `true`.
`timestamp`	save datetime in Unix timestamp format (but still display in human-readable format), `true` or `false`. Optional. Default `false`.

(See demo/date-time-js-options.php for example).

Datetime

Attribute	Description
`size`	size of the input box. Optional. Default 20.
`inline`	display the date picker inline with the input? Optional. Default `false`.
`js_options`	a combination of date options and time options for jQuery. See `date` and `time` fields above.
`timestamp`	save datetime in Unix timestamp format (but still display in human-readable format), `true` or `false`. Optional. Default `false`.

File

Attribute	Description
`max_file_uploads`	Max number of uploaded files. Optional.
`force_delete`	Whether or not delete the files from Media Library when deleting them from post meta (`true` or `false`)? Optional. Default `false`.

File Advanced

Attribute	Description
`mime_type`	Mime type of files which we want to show in Media Library. Note: this is a filter to list items in Media popup, it doesn’t restrict file types when upload.
`max_status`	Whether to show the status of number of uploaded files when `max_file_uploads` is defined (xx/xx files uploaded). Optional. Default `true`.

Map

To register a map field, you need to actually register 2 fields:

1 field with type text which stores the address of the map.
1 field with type map. This field has the following attributes:

Attribute	Description
`address_field`	The ID of the text field above. Required.
`std`	The initial position of the map and the marker in format `’latitude,longitude[,zoom]’` (`zoom` is optional). Optional.
`api_key`	The Google Maps API key. This attribute is required since June 2016 and works in Meta Box 4.8.8+. Get the API key here.
`region`	The region code, specified as a ccTLD (country code top-level domain). This parameter returns autocompleted address results influenced by the region (typically the country) from the address field. See here for more details.

See demo file.

Number

Attribute	Description
`step`	Set the increments at which a numeric value can be set. It can be the string `any` or a positive floating point number or integer. If this attribute is not set to `any`, the control accepts only values at multiples of the step value greater than the minimum. Default is `0`. Optional.
`min`	Minimum value. Default is `0`. Optional.
`placeholder`	Placeholder for the input field. Optional.

Post

Attribute	Description
`post_type`	post type where posts are get from
`field_type`	how to show posts, can be:
	`select`: simple select box of items (default). Optional. If choosing this field type, then the field can have options from `select` field (such as `placeholder`).
	`select_tree`: hierachical list of select boxes which allows to select multiple items (select/deselect parent item will show/hide child items)
	`select_advanced`: beautiful select box using select2 library. If choosing this field type, then the field can have options from `select_advanced` field (such as `placeholder`), please check `select_advanced` field for full list of params.
	`checkbox_list`: flatten list of checkboxes which allows to select multiple items
	`checkbox_tree`: hierachical list of checkboxes which allows to select multiple items (select/deselect parent item will show/hide child items)
	`radio_list`: list of flatten radio boxes which allows to select only 1 item
`query_args`	additional query arguments, like in `get_posts()` function. Optional.

Radio

Attribute	Description
`options`	array of `'value' => 'Label'` pairs. `value` is stored in the custom field and `Label` is used to display in the meta box.
`inline`	Whether to show all options in a line? Optional. Default is `true`.

Select

Attribute	Description
`options`	array of `'value' => 'Label'` pairs. `value` is stored in the custom field and `Label` is used to display in the dropdown.
`placeholder`	instruction text for users to select value, like “Please select…”
`multiple`	allow to select multiple values or not. Can be `true` or `false`. Optional. Default `false`.
`select_all_none`	whether to show “Select: All \| None” links that can help users select all options or clear selection. Used only when `multiple` is true. Optional. Default `false`.

Select Advanced

This field inherits all attributes from select field above and has more attributes as below:

Attribute	Description
`js_options`	array of options for `select2` library. See this documentation for all options.

By default, Meta Box applies these default options for js_options:

Attribute	Default Value	Description
`allowClear`	true	Allow users to clear selection
`width`	resolve	Set width by element’s width
`placeholder`	`$field['placeholder']`	Make `placeholder` works just like `select` field

Taxonomy

Attribute	Description
`taxonomy`	array or string of taxonomy slug(s)
`field_type`	how to show taxonomy, can be:
	`select`: simple select box of items (default). Optional. If choosing this field type, then the field can have options from `select` field (such as `placeholder`).
	`select_tree`: hierachical list of select boxes which allows to select multiple items (select/deselect parent item will show/hide child items)
	`select_advanced`: beautiful select box using select2 library. If choosing this field type, then the field can have options from `select_advanced` field (such as `placeholder`), please check `select_advanced` field for full list of params.
	`checkbox_list`: flatten list of checkboxes which allows to select multiple items
	`checkbox_tree`: hierachical list of checkboxes which allows to select multiple items (select/deselect parent item will show/hide child items)
	`radio_list`: list of flatten radio boxes which allows to select only 1 item
`query_args`	additional query arguments, like in `get_terms()` function. Optional.

Note: this field does NOT save term IDs in post meta, instead of that, it only set post terms.

Taxonomy Advanced

This field is exactly the same as taxonomy field, but it saves term IDs in post meta as a comma separated string. It does NOT set post terms.

Text

Attribute	Description
`size`	size of input box. Optional. Default 30.
`datalist`	Predefined values that users can select from (users still can enter text if they want). Optional. This parameter has the following sub-parameters:
	`id`: ID of the div that stores the options. Usually not used and auto-generated as `{$field['id']_list`. Useful if you have several text input with same datalist.
	`options`: Array of predefined values to select from.

Textarea

Attribute	Description
`cols`	number of columns. Optional. Default 60.
`rows`	number of rows. Optional. Default 4.

Time

Attribute	Description
`size`	size of input box. Optional. Default 10.
`js_options`	jQuery date picker options. See here, some main options are:
	`timeFormat`: Time format. Optional. Default `hh:mm`. For full list of time format, please see here. Note \| The `format` option is deprecated and replaced by this option.
	`showButtonPanel`: Show button panel or not? Optional. Default true.